Personal Injury Accidents in Macon, Georgia
Suffering injuries and losses as a result of an accident can have serious consequences for your future and the future of your loved ones. Permanent injuries could also prevent you from going back to work and earning the income you need to sustain your family and lifestyle. If another person’s wrongful action, negligence, or carelessness directly caused your accident and damages, an experienced personal injury lawyer in Macon can help you understand your legal rights and ensure they remain protected. You could potentially recover compensation covering medical bills, property damage, lost wages, as well as other expenses in connection with your accident.
The Sessions Law Firm could help you, whether you suffered injuries in a work accident or outside of work. We are committed to helping accident victims recover the financial support they need to heal physically as well as emotionally. Call us today and take advantage of a free, no-obligation consultation with a dedicated member of our team at (470) 225-7710.
Work Accidents
Macon is a city in central Georgia just over an hour away by car from Atlanta. The leading industries and employers in Macon include manufacturing, the tourism industry, the medical sector, and aeronautics. According to Gateway Macon, some of the biggest employers in the region include the Central Georgia Health System (which includes Navicent Medical Center), Medical Center of Central Georgia, Kimco Facility Services, Mercer University, Blue Bird Bus Manufacturing, Smith and Sons Foods, Coliseum Health, Hartson Kennedy Cabinet Tops, B & D Industrial, Bibb County School District, Carlyle Place, GEICO Insurance, and the county government.
Accident Risks in Macon
While construction has the greatest risk when it comes to at-work accidents, the manufacturing industry, medical services, and local government are not far behind. According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, 478 government workers and 343 government employees died on the job in 2018. The number of construction workers who died in 2018 was over 1,000.
While work fatalities are tragic and heartbreaking, many more employees can suffer devastating injuries in work accidents. Private employers reported 2.8 million workplace injuries and illnesses in 2019 alone. Behind these numbers are individuals and entire families who may be left with significant medical expenses and income losses. If you have been affected by a serious work injury and do not know how to go about getting justice, The Sessions Law Firm is here for you. We can help injured individuals in the Macon area, and if someone else’s negligence caused your suffering and expenses, our experienced personal injury lawyers in Atlanta can fight tirelessly for your legal right to receive the compensation you deserve.
Causes of Personal Injuries at Work
Personal injury claims can arise due to various work accidents. Some of the more common accidents that could happen at work in various industries including:
Slip and Fall Accidents
Slip and falls can be common occurrences in the workplace, whether falls on the same level or from substantial heights, for example, from a roof or a ladder. If an employer fails to correct or remove dangerous or hazardous conditions at a work site or in an office in Macon, workers can end up suffering serious injuries in slip and falls. Hazardous conditions can include, among others:
- Uncovered cables
- Slippery surfaces
- Inadequate lighting
- Snow and ice accumulations
- Improperly maintained machinery
According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, falls are the leading cause of fatalities in the construction industry. However, falls can also occur in stores, restaurants, hospitals, and many other work environments.
Overexertion
Overexertion can occur when a worker lifts a heavy object and consequently suffers from a musculoskeletal injury such as muscle strain, dislocation, or other soft tissue injuries. Overexertion is not only a common problem in the construction or warehouse industries but can also affect nurses and health aides, for example. Lifting and repositioning heavy patients at a hospital or in the nursing home in Macon can lead to serious injuries. If an employer does not provide adequate lifting equipment or assigns a sufficient number of employees for certain tasks, they could potentially be held liable.
Struck by Objects
Workers can get struck by falling objects from higher levels, such as tools, equipment, and other objects. This applies particularly to workers in the construction, warehouse, and manufacturing industries in Macon. Workers can get injured during the re-stocking of shelves or when moving equipment. Employers are responsible to protect their workers by issuing appropriate protective equipment such as helmets and eye protection.
Caught In-Between
Caught in-between equipment at work can result in horrific injuries and fatalities. Workers occasionally get trapped and crushed between parts of machinery or heavy equipment. These types of injuries typically happen in the construction and manufacturing industries, where heavy objects and equipment are in daily use.
There can be many other work injuries in Macon that could potentially lead to personal injury claims. However, not all accidents qualify for legal action. In order to have a strong personal injury claim, another individual or business, not necessarily an employer, must have acted negligently in causing a worker’s accident and injuries. On job sites, the negligent parties could include other contractors, companies renting out faulty equipment, or property owners. You should consider consulting with an experienced Macon personal injury lawyer to find out if you could receive compensation for your injuries and losses outside of your workers’ compensation claim.
Personal Injury Claims Outside of Work
Personal injury claims can happen anywhere on public and private property. However, simply tripping and breaking a leg, or getting rear-ended, may not necessarily entitle you to compensation. In order to have a valid claim, an accident victim has to prove that someone else such as a car driver, property owner, or business, acted negligently. The negligent act must be directly responsible for an accident and the victim’s injuries. Examples of personal injury claims in Macon, Georgia could include:
Car Accidents
You could recover compensation for your injuries and losses if a negligent driver caused your car accident. Distracted drivers, speeding drivers, or intoxicated drivers could all potentially be negligent and responsible for your damages that result from a car accident. A generally reckless driver who disregards traffic signals, drives aggressively, or passes improperly, could also be liable.
Premises Liability
Premises liability can cover a range of accidents that happen due to an owner’s negligence, such as slip and falls or negligent security. In order to recover damages resulting from a slip and fall accident, a victim has to prove that the owner of a property did not remove a hazardous or dangerous condition promptly. Examples can include broken flooring, debris, and spillages on floors, or broken staircases. Negligent security can arise when a visitor suffers injuries resulting from an attack or assault on someone else’s property due to lacking security, for example, insufficient lighting or the absence of security cameras.
Other personal injury claims can occur in a range of different circumstances, including medical errors, defective products, nursing home abuse and neglect, animal attacks, and many others.
However, it is important to state once again that in order to have a claim, another individual or business must have acted negligently that directly caused your injuries. An experienced personal injury lawyer in Macon, Georgia at the Sessions Law Firm, can advise you on your legal options and any available avenues for recovering compensation.
How Do I Deal with Insurance Companies After an Injury?
Dealing with the insurance companies after suffering an injury can be a minefield. It is important to note that the insurance company will not be working in your interests but in their own best interest. They will often use manipulative tactics to try to avoid paying a full and fair settlement.
If the at-fault party’s insurance asks you for a recorded statement or wants you to agree to a settlement in writing, you should consider speaking with a personal injury lawyer in Macon, Georgia immediately. Remember that anything you say or do could potentially be used against you and lower the amount of settlement offered to you by an insurance company.
The Sessions Law Firm can assist you with other insurance companies, as well as help you review your own insurance policy and coverage. A personal injury lawyer can also determine whether your insurance or the other driver’s insurance will cover any immediate out-of-pocket costs such as renting a vehicle while yours is repaired or in the process of being replaced. A personal injury lawyer can also help you when it comes to issues with your health insurance.
How Do I File a Lawsuit?
Filing a lawsuit without the help of an experienced personal injury lawyer can prove to be legally challenging and complex. Self-represented plaintiffs may be at a distinct disadvantage and risk having their claim compromised or even thrown out due to a minor technicality, such as a wrongly filed document submitted after a statute of limitations deadline.
Self-represented victims also run the risk of struggling with negotiations with the other side’s lawyer or legal team in court. If you suffered injuries or losses, learn how an experienced attorney at The Sessions Law Firm can help you with every aspect of your claim, including proving the negligence of another party. Your lawyer can also represent you aggressively in a trial, protecting you from any attempts to push the blame for an accident on you.
When you consider filing a lawsuit, bear in mind Georgia Section 9-3-33 prohibits victims from filing a personal injury lawsuit after two years from the date of your accident.
We Are Here to Help You Get Justice
The Sessions Law Firm is unique in developing personal injury cases based on complicated claims and taking the time to understand your personal and unique circumstances related to your accident. We will always have your best interests at heart and will be honest and upfront with you at all times. If you suffered significant harm at the hands of an employer, government entity, or individual, as a result of their recklessness or negligence, contact us today to ensure your legal rights remain protected. Contact one of our experienced personal injury attorneys at The Sessions Law Firm now for a free evaluation of your personal injury claim at (470) 225-7710.